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I Sing Because I'm Happy...

At my writer's guild last month, a fellow writer shared a devotional based upon the great hymn, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." I hummed along as she spoke and it occured to me that this song has deep meaning for me right now. Here are the lyrics:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.


“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

At cyberhymnal you can listen to the song and hear about its origins (quite interesting!)
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hiseyeis.htm

And tomorrow morning, go visit the Internet Cafe to read my devotional based upon this song.



Comments

I have always loved this song. Something we should always reflect on...He is always with us, watching over us, loving us. Thanks for sharing this.

BTW, I found your blog through Patty's God Stop Friday blog.
ocean mommy said…
This was my Grandfather's favorite song. I LOVE it and it always moves me.

Thanks for sharing!
Blessings,
stephanie
Peggy said…
Oh Heather...how "His eye is on the sparrow" is one I love and hum often also because of how aMazing our Heavenly Father is to watch over us from the littlest to the most awesome of our immense circumstances,HE CARES & IS THERE!

May your choice of this song draw you even more closer into His Presence as you battle to know how much HE cares and loves you & YOU are not alone! Be blessed & thanks for blessing me...Peggy
Melissa Lea said…
I love this song! It is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing and have a blessed weekend!
Heather,

I remember that song as a child. That is such an awesome story!

Thanks for visiting my blog. I love your story about your 3-year-old knowing the words. That is how it should be.

Have a great weekend!

Cheryl
Darlene said…
Fabulous song. Brings back so many memories of "old fashion homecomings and seeing people that have moved to other places". I love this song. I sing because I'm happy. Even when I get in a foul mood singing usually always makes me happy!
Have a great weekend!!
Susan said…
Great song! Oh my, it even means more to me now, knowing the story behind it!

Heather, I tried linking over the the Cafe and I've been having problems viewing it. It just may be my computer??

Blessings♥
I love this classic old song!!
Melanie said…
Heather, This is such a special song to me. One semester when I was in college I had a particularly rough time and came home for the holidays quite discouraged. One Sunday evening I had gone to church early with my mother as she was going to practice the hymns and special music for the evening (she was our church pianist). As she practiced, I moped around the sanctuary feeling sorry for myself and just pouting in general. The offertory music she was playing that evening was this very song.. "His Eye is on the Sparrow". As she prepared to play it through a 2nd time she stopped and asked me to sit down with her and listen to the words. As the played she sang and I listened. I felt such a calm come over me and the discouragement of the past few months began to not seem so bad. After all, how could they when I was hearing the words of how much Jesus cared for me?

Thanks so much for sharing this song today. As you can tell, it has special meaning for me... both due to the words and as a special time with my mother.

Have a great weekend, Heather!
Sheila said…
I love the old hymns. i grew up on them. i still sing them around the house when i'm trying to sing something that speaks my heart that desires God sooooo much! This is one of my all time favorites, all with Just as I am and Nothing but the Blood.

Just to know His eye is on us with grace and love.

thanks so much for sharing an old, beautiful hymn!
sheila
Shari said…
I've been learning about how to have joy in the Lord, despite afflictions. You can have true joy without being happy all the time.
Julie said…
This was one of my favorite hymns. Our preacher used to sing it when I was growing up. He had this deep, bellowing voice.

It was a beautiful song to be reminded of when my husband was in a job transition season a few years back. I just kept remembering that if He clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the sparrows, will He not much more care for me and my little chicks?

I loved your post at the Cafe and left you a message there.

Have a blessed weekend,
Hugs,
Julie
Oh I absolutely love that song! The Lord reminded me of it not to long ago! Selah does a wonderful version of it too! Thanks for sharing!
Terra said…
Hi Heather,
Thank you for sharing the cyberhymnal URL; I will visit it soon. That is a lovely song.

I read you are at a writers conference so you are very busy, but I want to tell you I am offering a free book by Gayle Roper giveaway at my blog to people who comment by June 6.
terragarden.blogspot.com

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